JOHN KOONTZ: He told her that his vehicle
had broken down, that he needed a ride back to his home.
The house that they went to was actually
outside of the city limits.
It was kind of there on his own.
He definitely didn't have the criminal background
to indicate that he would escalate
to this to what happened.
[screaming]
Storm Lake is a community of about 10,000.
It's in Northwest Iowa, probably an hour
straight East of Sioux City.
It's a fairly rural location.
It's primarily a packing town.
It's got a couple of packing plants, turkey and pork, which
are kind of the main employers.
TIM SPEERS: It's a nice little community.
We have a lot of farmers in the area, hard working people
that work hard for their money.
And we've had a really good place for,
so it's helped keep the crime down.
JOHN KOONTZ: Homicide or a violent crime
is relatively rare.
In the 10 years that I was there,
I think there were one or two homicides.
It just didn't happen very often.
So I don't think anybody expected
a violent crime like this.
This was by far the worst scene that I've
ever seen in my career.
TIM SPEERS: I was born and raised in a Storm Lake.
I got married in 1980.
I was working full-time as a paramedic.
We had two boys of our own, Jeff and Matt.
And so we raised them, and when they left
the house is when we kind of the empty nest deal or that--
so kind of thought about the foster care system
and that's how we got into foster care.
We had a few foster kids, and then we got a call one time,
you know, for a placement of a girl.
And we went to the office and we came in and we met Jessica.
Jessica was born in Honduras.
She had a really rough life her whole life.
Jessica was 15 years old, and she was six months
pregnant when we first met her.
It was found that her pregnancy was a result
of being raped by her stepdad.
And so they arrested of the stepdad
and took her out of the custody and placed her with us.
She never knew what trusting people were
or people loving her or, you know, so that's
what we wanted to give her.
And then she had Victoria.
And Jessica did a great job as a mother.
[grunting]
You're stuck.
I've got you.
What do you do?
Use what I can find.
Good.
Very good.
Always find something you can use.
I'd had some training in self-defense,
and so every time I come home she'd want to practice
the moves and stuff like that.
You're getting a lot better.
Yeah, but you still pinned me on the ground.
Oh, don't worry.
That'll come.
Thank you.
TIM SPEERS: I always told her, you know, it's more--
it's not how strong you are.
It's your mind.
You've got to use your mind more than your strength.
What?
I heard back from Buena Vista.
And?
Yes.
They said yes.
Yeah.
Oh, good.
Then she got accepted at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake.
She wanted to be a social worker.
She wanted to help other kids that been
through the same situation that she's been in.
And so their future was in front of her.
She was about a mile and a half, two miles from where we lived.
There wasn't a day that went by that we
didn't call her or see her.
She never slept.
She was studying all the time and working as a janitor.
And she was always busy trying to take care of Victoria.
She had her hands full for a long time,
and things didn't come easy.
[shuffling]
Kirk entered Jessica's life by reaching
out to her on social media.
He reached out to her telling Jessica
that he had met her at school outing at one time.
So Jessica accepted and started talking to him.
She didn't really know anything about them,
and Jessica, you know, did what I told her to do,
looked him up on Iowa courts.
It turned up burglary-- car burglary.
It was a red flag.
I did not approve.
But she's a real forgiving person.
[baby crying]
She thought he made some mistakes,
but everybody needs another chance.
So that's how things got going.
I don't know, Jessica.
I don't see anything up there.
I'm just saying how can you know.
Well, we don't know, but that's why they
call the whole thing faith.
But what do you believe.
Maybe.
Feel like it's easier for some people.
Like, I'm trying.
I really am.
I'm trying really hard to put it all behind me and start over.
It doesn't matter.
Nobody wants me around.
Nobody wants to hire me because of my record.
So what am I supposed to do?
They want me to fail.
Who wants you to fail?
Like, everyone.
Kirk, you can do whatever you set your mind to.
Nobody expected me to succeed either.
I never thought that I would go to college,
let alone graduate high school.
But Tim and Susie showed me that there is another way.
Yeah, I don't have Tim and sue to help me out.
God, Kirk, it's OK.
I broke into a house, stole some credit cards.
Kirk, why would you do that?
When did you do this?
Today.
I don't know.
I don't even.
I just did something stupid.
Then you have to turn yourself in.
It is the only way to move forward.
You have to take responsibility.
TIM SPEERS: Eventually Kirk ended up going to prison.
Kirk was the person that Jessica wanted to make better, not
a boyfriend, just simply somebody that she thought she
could change for the better.
JOHN KOONTZ: The thing that stands out
in this case is that if she hadn't been
willing to give him a second chance, none of this
ever would have happened.
Running or trying to get away or scream for help,
there's nowhere to go.
There's nobody to hear you when you're out there.
Two books and she's out.
Didn't even get to the part where
Harold draws the whole city.
Well, that is her favorite book.
What's this?
Oh, that's nothing.
It's Kirk.
I told you about him.
Prison Kirk?
After he was sent to prison, Kirk started writing letters,
and so they were writing letters back and forth.
He's in jail, but--
but he's trying to change.
So we're-- I'm helping him.
Isn't there anyone in prison who can talk to?
Yeah, I guess.
I just--
Jessica, you are seriously the nicest person
I know to a fault.
I just feel like no one else will listen to him.
You know, and I--
I know he feels very alone in this world.
And I know what that's like.
I get it.
I do.
But this doesn't lead anywhere good.
He's in prison.
JESSICA: I know.
Think of Victoria.
She was always a big believer in God,
and she goes he's atheist and doesn't believe in God
and I just want to kind of change
his life that he can do better.
We talked about a lot, and she was just adamant that, you
know, everything's OK.
Even though I disapproved of it, it went
on for a little while anyhow.
And then the letter just quit coming.
When she said she wasn't getting any more letters,
I just told her good.
It was early in the morning, January 3rd,
and she heard some rustling on the window.
And she thought it was a tree branch hitting her window.
[soft banging]
Hey, it's--
Jessica.
Kirk?
Hey, Jess-- yeah, Jessica, I need some help.
Kirk, what are you doing here?
I need help.
A car-- it's a car--
a car thing.
Kirk, why didn't you knock at the door?
A spark plug.
Come-- come outside a second.
Just-- just hold on, OK.
I'll come out.
TIM SPEERS: Jessica was always willing to help anybody
that needs help, so she said, yeah,
I'll-- you know, I'll help you.
KIRK: Hey.
Jessica.
Hey, Kirk.
So when did you get out?
Few days ago.
Surprise.
It's a surprise.
Are you in trouble?
No, I'm-- no, I'm good.
I'm good now that I get to see you.
I'm good.
It's been a while, right.
Long while.
I think I--
I think I grew, you know, like as a person during that time.
I think it was actually good for me like you said it would be.
OK, good.
That's good to hear.
Did you get my last letter?
No.
Hey, my car-- I think my car is out of batteries or has a--
batteries are dead.
I think it probably just needs a jump or something.
You think you could help me out?
Yeah, I thought you said something about sparkplugs.
Yeah.
You know me, Jessica.
I don't know anything about cars.
Probably the jump or the--
yeah, could be the plugs but either way it's broken.
No, I'm-- I'd love to help, Kirk, but I have to go.
I have to go to school.
All right, well, you at least take me to my mom's house
and I can think of something out?
Yeah, I can take you to your mom's, and then I
can just take you back to your car after school if you want.
Thank you, Jessica.
Thank you.
You're the best.
That really helps me out.
It does.
OK, I have to go tell my sister, and then we can go.
TIM SPEERS: Genesis, her sister, was there that day
and stayed overnight in the apartment with her.
Genesis was still mostly asleep.
And so Jessica told Genesis that she would be right back,
and that's the only reason why she didn't take
Victoria with her at the time.
[phone ringing]
It was early in the morning.
Hello.
Well, the phone rang, and it was Jessica.
And she was just hysterical.
OK, Jessica, slow down.
What happened?
She was hard to understand a little bit because she was
crying, and, you know, scared.
And she goes, dad, I've been kidnapped.
All right.
OK, now listen to me closely.
I need you to hang up the phone.
I need you to call 9-1-1.
No you have to call 9--1.
Just do it please, Jessica.
You have-- Jessica.
Hey, Jessica--
She was just-- couldn't do it for some reason.
She just wanted to talk to me, but she gave me directions.
She knew exactly where she was at.
I knew most of dispatchers and stuff
just from working as a paramedic.
DISPATCHER: 9-1-1.
What's your emergency?
Hey, this is Tim Speers.
Hey, I need Koontz and I need Todd
to go to 1050 Jordan Avenue.
1050 Jordan, got it?
And I called a friend of mine, Todd Erskin who
was on the police department and told them
and John Koontz that I'd, of course,
started heading her way.
JOHN KOONTZ: So that day, I was working a normal shift.
So Tim contacted our dispatch center
to say that Jessica, you know, had been abducted in Storm Lake
and, you know, had gotten away in Sac County.
So at this point, we didn't really know what had happened.
A lot of times there's an escalation when you
have an offense of this nature.
He definitely didn't have the criminal background
to indicate that he would escalate
to this to what happened.
Jessica willingly drove Krk to his home
just trying to help him out.
The house that they went to was actually outside of the city
limits of Early, kind of off the main roadway,
pretty rural, pretty remote.
It was kind of there on his own.
He told her that his vehicle had broken down in Storm Lake
and he needed a ride back to his home outside of Early.
OK, I'll come back and get you after school.
Come inside with me.
No-- what?
No.
Let me show you something.
No, Kirk.
Seriously, I have to go.
I have to go to school. I can't--
Come on, come on, Jessica.
It just take a few minutes.
I just want to show you something.
Kirk, no, I can't.
I can come back.
What are-- what are you doing?
Guess it's settled then.
Come on.
Come on, Jessica.
What are we doing, Kirk?
Let's go-- just-- just--
just a few minutes OK.
You got to trust me.
Kirk, I don't have a few minutes.
You gotta trust me. Come on.
Oh, gosh, I'm sorry.
I forgot to-- I--
So what are we doing, Kirk?
Just sit down.
No, what-- like, what are we doing?
Just tell me.
What are we doing?
Just I'll show you in a second, Jessica.
Just sit down.
OK, I'm sitting, Kirk.
Kirk, what are you doing?
I'm kidnapping you.
OK, this was a good joke.
Now can we go?
I'll be right back.
Just stay there, Jessica.
No.
No, Kirk-- Kirk, what are you doing?
Kirk, I'm your friend.
Just talk to me, OK.
What is wrong?
Just talk to me, OK.
You can tell me what is wrong.
Just tell me what's wrong.
OK.
I won't tell.
OK.
Stay still.
No! No, Kirk!
Stop moving.
No, Kirk, wait, wait, wait, please, wait!
Kirk, Kirk, I'll do whatever you want.
OK, I promise.
I'll do whatever you want.
OK.
OK?
We-- we can do whatever you want, OK?
OK?
Whatever I want?
Yes.
Whatever you want.
OK, but we have to go get Victoria first.
OK.
Please, Kirk.
She needs me.
You know how she needs me.
OK, I think you can help me.
We can be together.
OK, whatever you want.
You can help me.
OK.
Kirk--
This is a time where I asked God, God, what do I do.
What do you want me to do?
And this is the part where it's just--
I felt whether it was God's hand, an angel, I don't know,
but I felt a hand just touch my right shoulder.
And so I knew now what I had to do.
And so I pretended like I was going to comply,
that I wasn't going to fight.
But in reality, that was not the case.
I was just looking for an opportunity
to get out of that farmhouse.
Because if I yelled, it was useless.
It was no one there.
Kirk tied me around the wrists, and we left back
out of the house into the car.
Get in.
No, Kirk. What are you doing?
- Get in the trunk. - No, Kirk--
Get in the truck now.
I promise I won't cause any trouble.
Kirk, Kirk.
My toolbag was kind of hidden in the back,
and I thought, OK, if I have access to this tool bag,
I could undo the back of the backlights
and stick my hand out, and obviously someone's
going to say something.
And then the last thing he takes out is that toolbag.
And-- and I was--
and I was like, God, like, what do I do, you know.
JOHN KOONTZ: I don't remember there being any homes
right there at all.
It actually looked like they had a fair amount of land.
It was out in the county outside of Early, Iowa,
which is a very rural area.
Kirk knew there was nobody else around.
He knew there was nobody that was going to walk in on him.
He told Jessica that his plan was to tie her up and put her
in the back of his trunk and that she went along with him
that she wouldn't get hurt.
JESSICA FRANK: I remembered that while I was in the trunk--
I felt helpless.
I felt so alone.
And I was like, God, are you there.
Help me.
If you're real, this is a time to prove it.
I need you.
I need you to help me.
I need you to guide me.
Help me get out of this situation.
And that's when I realized what I had to do.
Kirk!
Kirk, please, I can't breathe.
Kirk!
Kirk, please.
I was banging on the car, and I was just telling him
I'm claustrophobic.
Get me out of here.
You know, I was making it seem like--
like-- like I was dying.
Kirk, I can't breathe.
Kirk.
He opens the trunk, and he's like what.
And I'm like I can't be in here.
Please, I told him I will behave.
I just really want to go get Victoria.
I'm like this is your plan, and I want to make it--
I want it just as bad as you do.
And so he puts me in the front seat.
My toolbag was within reaching distance
where the hammer was just-- just happened to stick out.
And so all I had to do was just reach and hit him.
I was concerned about killing him, and I didn't want--
if he died, I didn't want that blood in my hands.
I can see the stop sign coming up, and I can see Highway 20.
I was like, OK, at the stop sign,
this is where I'm going to do it.
And so I'm just mentally preparing myself
that I have to do this.
Whatever happens, we'll cross that bridge once it gets there.
But before I could do it--
[crashing]
TIM SPEERS: Right when they got up to that stop sign,
it was slick, and he ended up going in the ditch.
JESSICA FRANK: And then the car is not
going anywhere at this time.
I'm just like what now.
Dammit.
The way the car was positioned,
it was a harder reach to get the hammer,
so I needed the car to be level again
so I could reach the hammer.
And then I didn't see a vehicle approaching.
He saw it.
And-- and he's like there's a car coming.
Stay here.
And shut up.
I know where Victoria is.
Kirk, Kirk, untie me.
OK, untie me so they think we're a couple
because otherwise they're going to know
that something is wrong.
OK.
OK, just--
WOMAN: Is everybody all right down there?
I could see the red truck, just the top of it.
I could see that somebody was there waiting and just kind
of looking around.
But he's like, no, they haven't seen you.
Just lay low.
Kirk.
KIRK: Hey, thank you.
No, we're fine. We're fine.
We got it.
He had on time we just enough where I could do it myself,
so I started on tying my hands.
I open the door, and I ran to the truck.
It was a male and a female.
I looked at her, and I was like help me, help me.
He's kidnapped me.
And she just looked at me like she was trying
to process what I was saying.
They got me into the truck, and Kirk ran.
Honestly, at this time, I wasn't really there.
Pretty much breaking down.
I'm shaking uncontrollably, and they asked
if there was anybody to call.
I was trying to talk, but I couldn't.
And so I was just like pointing to the numbers
as she dialed them.
And so Tim answers, and it's just
a relief to hear his voice.
And I'm like, Tim--
and I'm like I've been kidnapped.
They took me to his house which was close by,
and that's where I was reunited with Tim.
I knew that Tim was like my safe place.
And so I knew that when he was there, I was officially OK.
I was kind of disappointed maybe in myself
a little bit because I always promised Jessica
nobody's going to hurt you.
I'll make sure nobody hurts you again.
And it's like when she said that she'd been kidnapped
and tied up, I mean, I was mad.
I was, you know--
so I was kind of beside myself a little bit.
JESSICA FRANK: I wanted to find Kirk
because otherwise I wouldn't feel safe
if he was out in the loose.
I knew that if he wasn't caught quickly that he would find
Victoria and I, and whatever his plan was,
I knew he would fulfill it.
JOHN KOONTZ: Jessica was able to tell us this is what happened.
This is who it was.
So our immediate priority after making
sure that Jessica was safe, you know, was finding Kirk.
At this point, we didn't really know
is this an individual that, you know,
he's going to carjack somebody.
Is he armed?
Is this somebody that because he's on the run
and because it's cold out there he's
going to break into somebody's house
where, you know, you know, mom or daughter
may or may not be home alone?
[dispatcher radio]
I think I heard it through the squad car
that they had a dog out tracking--
tracking him, and there were footprints that they
were-- that they had found.
Searched for him for a relatively
short time that I remember.
And he was located by the Sac County sheriff's office.
Storm Lake PD.
Come out with your hands up.
You Kirk Levin?
Yep.
I am.
JESSICA FRANK: They found him in a shed wet and cold,
and he basically gave himself up.
JOHN KOONTZ: The interview with Kirk, it was odd.
He was very, you know, very emotionless.
It was just kind of, you know, like you
were talking to him about a baseball game or something.
He initially tried to say pretty much
that he just he blacked out.
He had no idea what happened.
As we interviewed him further, he did admit, you know,
that he had abducted Jessica, had tied her up, and all that
and pretty much admitted that his intention
was to sexually assault her.
But there was no remorse.
He wasn't, you know, scared or worried about going to prison.
Didn't feel bad for what happened
at least that I could see.
When he got released from prison,
Kirk was living with his mother on Ira Avenue in Early.
We tried to get a hold of her, tried to call her on the phone.
Couldn't get her.
So several of the officers, myself, Todd Erskin,
and then some deputies with the sheriff's office,
decided we were going to go to the home
because I knew that there was going to be physical evidence
there of the abduction, but we're
also concerned about the well-being of Kirk's mother.
We knocked on the door.
We're unable to get an answer.
We knew we had the evidence that we needed
to get a search warrant, so we decided
to make entry into the home.
As we're checking the house, we found
a doorway that had been blocked by a recliner,
which was kind of odd.
I removed the recliner and found out that this doorway led to--
it open up to the stairway that went to the second floor.
We all went upstairs.
There was one bedroom that had--
it was a door panel like that had been removed from the jam,
and it was just set across the doorway or it
kind of blocking the doorway.
They went into the room, and then we saw Kirk's mother.
She was obviously deceased.
It was a very bloody scene.
She had some trauma to her head.
There was actually a belt tightened around her neck,
and on her at least one arm and one leg if not more,
she had very deep lacerations.
The amount of violence that was inflicted on Kirk's mother, you
know, that's something that I've never seen before and I hope I
don't ever see again.
Kirk admitted pretty much that he didn't remember
what happened, but he must have done
it but never flat out came out and said,
yes, he had killed his mom.
We asked if there had been, you know, any type of, you know,
argument or altercation, which he all denied.
So we never did find out, you know,
exactly what transpired that led to her dying.
He had murdered his mom prior to coming to get me.
And then I learned that the reason the letters stopped
was because while he was in prison,
they found these sketches that he had and how he had
Basically a woman and he was raping this woman
and having children with this woman in a soundproof room.
And then he was raping those children.
And so then that's why--
that's when I knew why he wanted Victoria and me.
When I found these details, it reframed everything
in how God was protecting me the whole time even to the fact,
even before it even started, by my sister
just sleeping over that night.
If my sister wasn't there that night,
I would have taken Victoria with me that day,
and I wouldn't be here today.
Even though I was kidnapped in January,
I was still able to graduate on time
and complete that circle of helping
kids in the foster care system.
TIM SPEERS: I don't usually cry, but I had to shed a tear
that day when she graduated.
We were extremely proud of her.
I mean, for her to accomplish graduating college
for everything that she'd been through,
I mean, it was just phenomenal.
JESSICA FRANK: Aaron and I got married April 25, 2015.
He's the only man I could be married to.
He puts up with me, and Aaron deals a lot with--
With what happened to me as a child.
He listens.
And he's very patient with me.
And I know that God made him just from me.
We have our two girls, and I am very thankful for just--
I know it sounds silly but just being
able to watch my daughters grow and just love my family.
It's a big blessing that a lot of people take for granted,
and I'm just very blessed.